The present invention relates, in general, to fluidized beds and, in particular, to a new and useful air distribution grid having biased air distribution in order to promote solids entrainment and internal mixing of the bed material.
The known air distribution systems utilized currently in fluidized bed reactors distribute air uniformly throughout the bed material of the fluidized bed. One of these known systems is an air distribution grid which is used to induce uniform and stable fluidization across the entire cross-section of the bed. Because of this uniform air distribution, only a certain level of solids circulation within the fluidized bed is achieved.
Presently, there is no known system or method for enhancing the solids circulation within a fluidized bed reactor other than the circulation which is achieved by uniform air distribution grids.